idiot savantnoun- a person who has a mental disability or learning difficulties but is extremely gifted in a particular way, such as the performing of feats of memory or calculation.- a person who is extremely unworldly but displays natural wisdom and insight.

Alex Simmons/RST wrote:I drove him around for several days of racing some years back. He didn't strike me as an idiot.

Sheesh...OK....Anthony Tan is a goddamned expert on the international world tour and has more experience than 20 Belgian drunkards, 30 Cheese eating Frenchies or 40 flare throwing Dutch madmen on Alpe d'Huez. Happy now? I bow before the alter of Anthony Tan's superior knowledge and personality on broken glass and give thanks that I may do so.

Alex Simmons/RST wrote:I drove him around for several days of racing some years back. He didn't strike me as an idiot.

Sheesh...OK....Anthony Tan is a goddamned expert on the international world tour and has more experience than 20 Belgian drunkards, 30 Cheese eating Frenchies or 40 flare throwing Dutch madmen on Alpe d'Huez. Happy now? I bow before the alter of Anthony Tan's superior knowledge and personality on broken glass and give thanks that I may do so.

I just think calling someone an idiot is a bit over the top when really you just don't like their style.

Back to the OP - Keenan and McEwen are not employed to do the commentary by SBS. They are employed by the Tour organisation ASO to provide the official English language feed.Because of this they will always comment on the scenery, chateaus etc because it is part of the script. I am in France at the moment and the French coverage is the same.Phil and Paul also were employed by ASO but they obviously realised how terrible they were and have replaced them. Sometimes listening to them was like they weren't even watching the race. The French commentators don't get the non French names right either and are just as parochial. The bits where SBS show an interview in half the screen the French coverage often replays a French rider winning a stage years ago, like Hinault back in the 1980's.

Sharkey wrote:Phil and Paul also were employed by ASO but they obviously realised how terrible they were and have replaced them. Sometimes listening to them was like they weren't even watching the race.

Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen still do the feed to the US, apparently. But you're 100% spot on, their commentary shed no light whatsoever on what was happening cycling wise. Matt and Robbie are streets ahead - Robbie has the experience but Matt is better prepared so they make a good combo. They're great at picking out riders - last night Matt identified an almost completely obscured rider just by his helmet colour and his shorter stature.

Their French place name pronunciation is more or less the Aussie equivalent of Gabriel Gate's accent, however. But Gabriel Gate is the highlight of the broadcast, for mine. Yum yum!

Sharkey wrote:Back to the OP - Keenan and McEwen are not employed to do the commentary by SBS. They are employed by the Tour organisation ASO to provide the official English language feed.Because of this they will always comment on the scenery, chateaus etc because it is part of the script. I am in France at the moment and the French coverage is the same.Phil and Paul also were employed by ASO but they obviously realised how terrible they were and have replaced them. Sometimes listening to them was like they weren't even watching the race. The French commentators don't get the non French names right either and are just as parochial. The bits where SBS show an interview in half the screen the French coverage often replays a French rider winning a stage years ago, like Hinault back in the 1980's.

So here we are after Stage 14 - 14 long stages of one dimensional droning commentary, the self proclaimed cycling purists unable to see how unbalanced, bland and unsophisticated these guys are. The TdF is on a worldwide platform, do oz cyclists fail to comprehend the largesse of this spectacle? Knowledge of a sport, however great, should not allow bland, droning people to commentate...

I like Matt & Robbie's commentary. But would prefer the Eurosport crew though. A good combination of weirdness (Carlton & Sean) and deep knowledge (Brian Smith & Magnus Baxter). And because they don't rely on just two commentators you at least get variety. So if there's someone you don't like (e.g. Carlton isn't everyone's cup of tea) you don't have to suffer for hours on end.

AndrewCowley wrote:... But would prefer the Eurosport crew though. A good combination of weirdness (Carlton & Sean) and deep knowledge (Brian Smith & Magnus Baxter). And because they don't rely on just two commentators you at least get variety. So if there's someone you don't like (e.g. Carlton isn't everyone's cup of tea) you don't have to suffer for hours on end.

Exactly. It's a better job and apart for the self-serving FIFA ads, a better experience.Except that their are not broadcasting Le Tour.

AndrewCowley wrote:I like Matt & Robbie's commentary. But would prefer the Eurosport crew though. A good combination of weirdness (Carlton & Sean) and deep knowledge (Brian Smith & Magnus Baxter). And because they don't rely on just two commentators you at least get variety. So if there's someone you don't like (e.g. Carlton isn't everyone's cup of tea) you don't have to suffer for hours on end.

I like Matt and Robbie, but I do get a little annoyed by some things. For example the creative english word 'excelerate', which is obviously accelerating at a very high level. Once you hear it, you can't unhear it.

I don't mind the commentary. For me, it's more that most of the races don't even really seem to matter anymore. It's the same old boring, 'break gets out to a 5-10 minute lead, then gets reeled in over the last 100kms before the relatively 'exciting' last 5kms' thing. It also doesn't help that only Sky and BMC seem to show up with any intention to win the thing anymore. And now Porte's out, BMC have left the building and only Sky left. It's almost as if the other teams are only there to win individual stages or other points classifications. Yay for Sagan.

It's like most sports these days though, it's not how the game was played anymore, it's only who won that matters.

In fairness to the commentators, it must be incredibly difficult to talk non-stop for 4 or 5 hours when in reality, most of the time, there is nothing happening in the race. I think Matt and Robbie do an excellent job and are a refreshing change form Paul and Phil, although Phil's voice was very soothing to listen to, even if the words were often nonsense.

I have been watching the French coverage for the last 10 days. Even though I don't understand except for the names of riders I still prefer it to the garbage that was Phil and Paul. Now I have moved and have satellite smart tv so watched the UK ITV 4 coverage today. Now they are dull compared to Keenan and McEwen, but still preferable to P & P. If I could only get P& P on NBC I would mute the sound.Unfortunately there is no Eurosport.

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